Title: Pilgrim’s Progress in Today’s English
Author: John Bunyan (Retold by James H. Thomas)
Published: 1964
When John Bunyan first wrote Pilgrim’s Progress during, as most current scholars believe, his second imprisonment for preaching the Gospel, in 1678, he could hardly have imagined the impression his work
would have on the Christian world 350 years later. Just in the last two weeks I have noted four references to characters or places from this book in devotional works I was using; our pastor referenced a location
in it (the Slough of Despond) during our fellowship group; and it arose again in another Christian book I was reading. With characteristic humility Bunyan mused that his Christian allegory might never be published.

But published it was – eleven revised editions by the time of Bunyan’s death. Up to the present it has been read in numerous languages around the world by children and adults alike. Indeed, in the 19th and early 20th centuries it would have been required reading for any child raised in a Bible-believing home. The edition I have just read is are telling in contemporary English copyrighted in 1964 and 1992.

A confession on my part: Despite my 50 years as a professing Christian, I had never fully read this classic until I picked up this volume. I had read parts and was familiar with many of the characters and locations
from references like those noted above. Also, allegory has never been a favorite type of literature on my part. But I thought it was time I gave this great work a fair reading. Allegory is a literary form which uses characters, locations, and situations to represent parts of a larger and much grander story. In this case the grander story is the Christian life told through the travellings of a man called Christian (the pilgrim of the title) and, later, his wife Christiana from the moment of their consciousness of their doomed condition while they stay in the City of Destruction to their setting out to seek The Celestial City, to their losing the burden of their sin and then through the sometimes joyful and oftentimes perilous pathways to their final arrival in The Celestial City (Heaven). The reader is introduced to a myriad of colourful characters drawn from life. Indeed, Bunyan drew upon the experiences of his English village life and coming to faith to craft this encouraging, challenging and comforting tale. For those who wonder “am I alone in my experience of the Christian walk”, Bunyan assures you that you are not. Others, himself included, have gone before. And the comforters and encouragers that Pilgrim (and Bunyan) partook of can be yours as well, in opening ourselves to our triune God. A reading of this work in easy to read modern English as contrasted with 17 th century vocabulary and grammar, is an experience of fellowship with a brother in the Lord who lived and died 350 years ago but feared and loved and joyed and worshipped, as we do today.

He sought the same peace and came to love the same Lord, and in this book recorded his rough path in an accessible and very winsome way. In the preface to this edition of Pilgrim’s Progress, the publishers have stated that two or three new characters have been added. Personally, I don’t approve of such additions to a classic. Because I have not read the original work I did not note which characters they are. Other changes to the text which the publishers note in the preface, I suppose are quite acceptable. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to know that they are not blazing a trail in this Christian life but treading a path that others have trod before.

Reviewed by: Sean Russell
Date: June 21, 2025